MSG Free Warm Cabbage & Apple Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing
This dish is a beautiful collision of textures and flavors — tender wilted cabbage, sweet-tart apple slices, and a bright, zippy dressing that ties everything together with warmth and depth. The ginger-lime dressing is built entirely from scratch using fresh ginger, fresh lime juice, turmeric, honey, and coconut aminos, so you know exactly what's going in and there's no hidden seasoning blends to second-guess. Coconut aminos do a lot of heavy lifting here — they bring that savory, slightly sweet umami note that makes the dish feel satisfying without any of the additives found in conventional soy sauce or bottled dressings. Everything comes together in a single skillet, which means the cabbage picks up a little caramelized edge while the apple stays just tender enough to hold its shape. The dressing gets tossed in at the end and cooks down for barely a minute, coating every strand in that ginger-lime warmth. A scatter of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime at the table keeps it feeling lively and fresh. It's the kind of side dish that surprises people — simple ingredients, but the result tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh turmeric, finely grated (or ½ tsp ground turmeric)
- 1 tsp honey
For the salad
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small head green cabbage (about 1 ½ lb), cored and thinly shredded
- 2 medium apples (such as honeycrisp or fuji), cored and thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, lime juice, grated ginger, turmeric, and honey until the honey is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering and the oil coats the pan.
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